Stephanie Hampton, TERC’s director, said that one ongoing, major issue within the report is water clarity. She says since 1968, Lake Tahoe’s water had a steep decline in clarity but began plateauing in the late 1990s.
“We're really asking why is the clarity not improving, given all of the amazing conservation and restoration and management that goes on up here?” Hampton said.
The center is now looking at warming temperatures that cause phytoplankton to grow, along with wildfires as potential causes.
Hampton said wildfires have become a new research focus. Researchers have recently joined the center to analyze how ash affects the lake’s microbes. Some are looking at potential invasive species, using genetic approaches to detect them.
Hampton said she is excited about this new research and hopes to look deeper in the lake, rather than just the surface and shore.
